Self-heated stock watering tank



Aug. 12, 1952 w CLIFFORD 2,606,548

SELF-HEATED STOCK WATERING TANK Filed July 17, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet lFIG.I

' INVENTOR. Douglas W. Clifford ATTORNEY 12, 1952 D. w. CLIFFORDSELF-HEATED STOCK WATERING TANK 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 17, 1948INVENTOR. Douglas W. Clifford ATTORNEY D. W. CLIFFORD SELF-HEATED STOCKWATERING TANK Aug. 12, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 17, 1948INVENTOR. Doug los W. Clifford ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 12, 1952 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE.

4. Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in animalhusbandry, and more particularly to stock watering troughs, tanks, orreceptacles of the self-heating type, to prevent the drinking water fromfreezing.

An important object of the invention is to provide a durable compact,self-contained drinking receptacle which requires a minimum of fuel andparts to keep the Water temperate, with the parts arranged so thatinterference of the stock with the operation of the device or injury toor burning of the stock by contact with the device is impossible.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel means for providinga fuel reservoir of ample capacity from the rim of the water receptacle,and to arrange the heating means so that it receives fuel bygravitational feed therefrom.

A further object of the invention is to provide a fuel filtering, mixingand feeding apparatus at the side of the receptacle with an enclosurewhich effectively prevents stock from interfering with the operationthereof, yet permits unobstructed entrance of air thereto for fuelmixing purposes.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the abovecharacteristics having its parts constructed and arranged so as not tobe broken in handling and which are so disposed as to permit stacking ofseveral of the devices for economy in transportation.

Other objects and advantages of the device will become apparent duringthe course-of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of the description and whereinlike numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout theseveral views.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the invention showing the exhaust fluein substantially the center of the tank.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation illustrating three of the modifiedreceptacles stacked for transportation, with their exhaust fiuesadjacent the inside walls of the receptacles.

Fig. 3 is another perspective view of one of the receptacles of Fig. 2taken from the side thereof where the fuel feeding compartment islocated.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged elevation of part of the receptacle and part ofthe fuel feeding compartment with its closure raised.

Fig. 5 is a further enlargement of the fuel feeding arrangement.

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section through the fuel filter takensubstantially along line $-6 of Fig. 5 in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of the heating compartment andheating apparatus arranged in operative position therein.

Fig. 7a is a somewhat enlarged detail sectional view taken substantiallyalong the line la-1a of Fig. 7, looking in the direction of the arrows;and

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary detail perspective view showing a modified fuelreservoir in the form of a separate ring of tubular cross-section whichis preferably welded to the upper'circular edge of the tank.

In localities where stock drinking water freezes when dispensed introughs or receptacles, it becomes necessary to provide amplepreventatives against this condition occurring with the most economicalsource of heat available in such locality. Low grade fuel oil isprobably the most generally used fuel due to its low cost andavailability, so that the present invention is designed to employ thistype of fuel, although others and more volatile fuels may be used withthe invention, if desired.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, the numeral ll]designates an open top, circular, comparatively shallow tank orreceptacle with upwardly flared side walls It for stacking purposes. Forthe watering of stock such as sheep, this tank may be about six feet indiameter and ten or twelve inches high. For other stock, it may assumedifferent shapes and dimensions as will be obvious. The open top of thetank is provided with an integral turned down hollow rim ll, circular incross section welded at its free margin to the sides of 'the tank toprovide a liquid tight joint with said sides, thereby providing acircular ring-shaped reservoir for the storage of fuel oil for theheater to be presently described. The top of this rim is provided with afiller plug l2 whereby the rim can be conveniently filled with fuel oil.This reservoir or rim may, if desired, be made from a separate ringtubular in cross-section welded to the upper circular edge of the tank,with one end of the ring closed and the other end open and bent down ata right angle, see Fig. 8, to provide a feed tube, such as tube I la toa filter unit 2 I. The tube Ha, if desired, may be a short separate tubeof smaller cross sectional area than the rim as shown in Fig. 5,suitably secured to the rim and filter unit.

Means for heating the water in the receptacle It includes an elongatedheating compartment in the form of an open-ended elongated metal tube I3extending diametrically or radially across the bottom of the receptacle[0 and secured upon .wall r I of the receptacle.

has a removable cover 22.

said bottom and to the side walls of the receptacle in water-tightmanner by welding or otherwise so that no water can gain admission tothe inside of the tube. When submerged in the water in the receptacle,this heating tube or compartment transmits its heat to the body of waterby conduction. One end I4 of the tube I3 may be bent upwardly thereof ata right angle either along the inside wall of the receptacle to extend asubstantial'distance above the rim II to exhaust products of combustionfrom the heater in the heating compartment above the stock drinking fromthe receptacle, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, or at the center of thereceptacle, as shown at Ma. in Fig. 1. When this exhaust flue or stack Ila is arranged at the center of thereceptacle, the heating tube I3terminates -at- I3a adjacent the center of the tank and most danger ofstock animals becoming burned by bodily contact therewith, is removed,since they are kept away from it by the waterforminga moat. between itand the sidewalls of thev receptacle. The other end of this heating tubeI3 is open and welded to the edges of a circular opening Ida in the.side This provides an Opening through said side wall into which, andinto the heating compartment I3, a heaterunit can readily be inserted orwithdrawn.

-Built to enclose this opening. is a box-like sheet metal filtering andair mixing chamber or compartment I5 provided with a bottom I5c and apair of side walls I5b to fit about the rim II and side walls of thereceptacle to be welded or otherwise secured in an air-tight relationthereto. This provides a chamber having an open front and top which arenormally closed with a sliding closure I6 of right angular formation andhaving avent aperture I'I near its base and a pulldrawer handle I8arranged over an air inlet slot I9 near the top, as best seen in Fig. 4.'The two-vertical side edges of this closure I6, slide in-verticalgrooves bent in the free margins of the two sides of the chamber I5, andto facilitate sliding, a bail-like handle 20 is secured to thehorizontal top of the closure, whereby it may be-raised to the positionshown in Fig. 4, or closed as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

Within the chamber I5 and secured to the side wall of the receptacle I0is a fuel filtering This unit 2] iscomsecured to a sidewall of thereceptacle ID and A'partition 26 with a right angular extension 21divides this casing into a large primary settling chamber 23 from whichsediment may be removed through drain plug 28 and a smallersecondary-chamber 24. A central openin 25 is provided in the partition.26 to permit fuel oil to pass from the sediment chamber 23 into therear chamber 24 and to its lateral extension provided by the rightangular partition 21. A short pipe 29 enters the side of mounted uponand supported at its forward end portion by a U-shaped upright closureplate 32. which normally closes, except for opening 32a formed in theplate 32, the end of the heating tube I3. Said unit extends through anopening Illa provided in the side wall of the receptacle I0, see Figure7, and said plate 32 rests upon the bottom I5a on its flat lower edge,see Figure 4. An inverted V-shaped super heating plate 33 has one endfixed to the closure 32 and extends inwardly thereof a substantialdistance as illustrated. A fuel feeding and vaporizing pipe 34 extendsthrough the enlarged inverted substantially V-shaped air admissionopening 320. in the closure plate 32 and is arranged beneath the apex ofplate 33 lengthwise thereof in good heat conducting relation therewith,with its outer end turned upwardly to support an upwardly openingcoupling. or drip cup 35, which is normally disposed axially beneath thetap 30 to constantly receive a regulated quantity of fuel oil therefrom.The inner end of the fuel vaporizing pipe 34 is inclined upwardly by theuse of a suitable angled nipple 36 to connect with one end of ahorizontal U-shaped vaporizing burner pipe 3?, which has its U-bent todispose its free end with a slotted burner tip 38 of a well knownconstruction adjacent the nipples 36 and toward the super heatingplate33 and closure 32. A substantially U-shaped mesh screen39 isattached, as shown, to the nipples or upwardly inclined portion 36 ofthe pipe and serves to diffuse the flame from the burner tip .38 andcause it to envelope the pipe 34 and super heating plate 33. It will benoted that the arcuate edge of this screen 39 rests upon the bottom ofthe heating tube I3 and supports part of the weight of the removableheating unit, while the outer end of the pipe 34 is supported bytheclosure plate 32.

One manner of supporting the outer end por tion of pipe 34 isillustrated in Figs. 7 and 7a. Spot welds 66 serve to connect the pipe33 and heating plate 33, whereas similar spot welds 'It serve to attachthe forward end portion of the heating plate 33 to the upright closureplate 32. Any other suitable means may, however, be em ployed to supportthe forward end portion of the pipe 34.

The inclined portionof the heater pipe constituted by the nipples. 36prevents the passage of any accidental flow of liquid fuel into theburner tube and assures only the existence of vaporized fuel therein.The upturned outer end of the vaporizing tube 34 forms a handle by whichthe entire removable heating unit can be inserted into or withdrawn fromthe heating compartment I3. This is especially useful as a handle whenstarting the burner 33 by placing a piece of oil soaked waste in frontof the burner nozzle 38 and igniting it before the unit is slid backinto operating position into the compartment I3. When this has beendone, the valve 3I is opened to allow a predetermined amount of liquidfuel oil to constantly fiow or drip into the cup 35 and pass into thevaporizing tube 34 where the heat from the burner and superheating plate33 causes the liquid fuel entering the same to become vaporized and passthrough the nipples 36 into the burner tip where combustion occurs toheat the walls of the heating tube I3 submerged in the water in thereceptacle I0. Thus, this water is maintained at the desired temperaturebelow freezing and the stock cannot interfere with the operation of thedevice, due to the arrangement and enclosure of parts, or become injuredor burned thereby. When the prising a water receptacle having a closedhollow rim for containing liquid fuel, heating means arranged inthe'bottom of said receptacle and including a vertical fuel receivingpipe, a fuel filter beneath and in communication with said rim andhaving drip means for feeding fuel into said vertical'pipe, and agravity feed connection between said rim and filter.

2. A self-heating stock watering device comprising a water receptaclehaving a. closed hollow rim for containing liquid fuel, a normallyclosed compartment on the side of said receptacle having air circulatingapertures, heating means in the bottom of said receptacle and includinga burner, a vertical fuel receiving pipe arranged within saidcompartment, a fuel filter mounted in said compartment and incommunication with the hollow rim for receiving fuel from said rim, andadjustable fuel feed means for feeding fuel from said filter to saidvertical fuel receiving ipe.

3. A self-heating stock watering device comprising a water receptaclehaving a. liquid fuel reservoir, a heating compartment in the bottom ofsaid receptacle, a mixing compartment secured to the side of saidreceptacle, a fuel filter within said mixing compartment connected tosaid reservoir and having a regulatable valvecontrolled tap for droppingfuel in regulated amounts, and a removable heating unit in said heatingcompartment having an angular outer end portion extending upright intosaid mixing compartment and terminating in an open-ended liquid fuel cupdisposed beneath said valve-com trolled tap for receiving fuel therefromand air from the mixing compartment, said angular outer end portionproviding handle means by which said heating unit may be moved into andout of said heating compartment.

4. In a self-heating stock watering device comprising a water receptaclehaving a closed hollow rim serving as a liquid fuel reservoir and alsohaving a box-like compartment secured to the side of said receptacleadjacent to and engaging said rim, in which said compartment has an opentop and front closed by a slidable closure with air circulatingapertures; means for heating water in the receptacle and comprising aheating tube disposed in the bottom portion of the receptacle and havingan exhaust flue, a fuel receiving tube having a portion located withinsaid heating tube and also having a vertical extension within saidbox-like compartment terminating in a fuel and air receiving cup, andmeans for feeding liquid fuel in predetermined amounts from saidreservoir into said cup within said boxlike compartment.

DOUGLAS W. CLIFFORD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 221,476 Smith Nov. 11, 1879414,800 Edminster Nov. 12, 1889 502,370 Lied Aug. 1, 1893 793,472Thorbus June 27, 1905 1,113,185 Bernhard Oct. 13, 1914 1,114,394 SiegerOct. 20, 1914 1,166,411 Davis Dec. 28, 1915 1,229,557 Weaver June 12,1917 1,751,533 Taylor Mar. 25, 1930 1,801,888 Teeple Apr. 21, 19312,030,555 Van Vorst et al. Feb. 11, 1936 FOREIGN PATENTS Number CountryDate 312,117 Italy Oct. 23, 1933 100,227 Australia Feb. 4, 1937

